WOYWW 113, The Big Clean Up

I have sweltered long and hard today to try to sort out, clean, tidy and generally organise my craft room. All together now... "Aaaahhh!" and a round of applause too would be appreciated! 

It really was getting out of hand after a marathon of crafting last week (will show the evidence soon) and, although I cleared the desk so I had space to work, it wasn't good to know that there was so much lurking around that should be in the bin. I filled quite a few bin bags!

Here is the AFTER photograph, YES!! "AFTER" I had cleaned and tidied all day... 9am to 6pm... I bet you thought I was going to say it was the "BEFORE" photo... how very dare you! Well...I must admit that it doesn't look as though I've toiled all day to get it to this moderate state but I can tell you that it is organised, clean and smells, well reeks, of floral disinfectant.... all the work surfaces, floor, sink, so much tidier than before. I just never thought to take pics before I started so you'll just have to trust me..... would I make this up?

You can't complain as there are vast areas of strawberries to be seen on that thar desk!

Now if I have intrigued you, and if you enjoy noseying here then, you'll love it if you visit our Number 1 Leader Julia at the Stamping Ground Blog where you can whizz around the globe and see the Wonders of the Work Desks of the World which are exposed every Wednesday.

This side still needs all those baskets sorting then I'll have a second work space... maybe tomorrow!

I found another cute little children's sewing machine beneath the accumulated mess and I left the Baker's Twine out so I'd remember to ask if there is anyone out there, who asked for a share, who still hasn't received it. I sent out about 20 wraps and I became confused (it's not hard!) and I think some people received 2 packets and some were missed out. Please shout out if you are still waiting. As you can see the roll has hardly diminished!

Here's the reclaimed sink I rescued from a skip... great to mess in and to keep all the inks, dyes and paint out of the kitchen. Lots of ATCs in my door hanger and my Vagabond handy on the shelf. Still hanging on to my little green machine just incase Mr V packs in on me. All those reports of returns worries me.

Big sigh! A wonderful sight to see the floor beneath my desk so tidy.

I can't guarantee it will look like this for more than a week but I'm raring to get crafting in there. Now let's see if it kick starts my mojo... watch this blog! 

WOYWW 112, Stampboard & Baltic Trader

We all had a fabulous day on Sunday at Padgate Crafters where, amongst other things, I played around yet again, with Stampboard tiles. I'm loving making these little hangings.

WOYWW 112

I still hadn't emptied and tidied away the contents of my bags from Sunday, as you can see below, so I decided to blitz my desk as I had some serious crafting to do this week with the 2nd birthday coming up soon for my grandee in Germany and I must get those special things in the post soon. I just had to set to it after seeing the desk of our own dear leader Julia who put me to shame by tidying her's immediately after her last crop.

Here's the after shot, still not quite tidy enough, taken from up high on a foot stool, Julia style! Lots of strawberries on view now waiting to be hidden again once I start crafting. On the left a lovely carrier bag from Desigual, one of my fave shops where I bought a lovely blue top in their sale last week. If you like something bright and different take a look at their website desigual.com and the sales are on NOW! 

The cream wire dress model is a charity shop find for a £1 and will be handy to hang things from its's curly bits. 

Don't be confused.... it's just that time of week again when we follow our leader and show our desks to the World. Go over to Stamping Ground and all will be revealed.... all being over 100 work desks of crafty individuals from around the globe.

 I've had the following photos from my last visit down South, taken in another of my favourite shops......

The Baltic Trader Polish Pottery shop in Lewes. 

I am mad on this pottery and have started buying a couple of items each time we visit. I'd love a full set of everything I can use but it's not cheap but this visit DH treated us to a teapot.

Check out the website for this fabulous shop.... at baltictrader.co.uk . It shows the full range and tells all about the four potteries in  Boleslawiec, Poland, where all the pottery is made. My daughter and her husband in Germany have some old pieces of this traditional pottery, given to them by his grandmother who is 90, so it could be around 60 years old.

In the cafe they use all their blue and white pottery but this little girl, our youngest grandchild, was just fascinated with trying to open a packet of sugar. The food is to be recommended... we've had lunch there a few times and it has always been so good and the staff are really friendly and helpful.

I bought this fabulous, tiny, dolls tea set to send to our  little grandee in Germany for her 2nd birthday in August but hopefully I will be taking it out there personally as, whoopidoo! I may be able to visit fairly soon. There is a little stand for the teapot and front left you can see the little candlestick. I just adore it and I know she will too! I can't wait to play tea parties with it!

Hope to find time visit as many as possible this week so get those desks ready, no holds barred!www.desigual.comwww.desigual.comwww.desigual.com

16th Birthday card & High School Prom

It was a very special day for the recipient of this card as not only was she 16, it was also her High School Prom.

 The tags from the inside pockets

I love these quirky characters which are from Lost Coast Designs.

The Angel stamp is from Crafty Individuals

 I helped with the preparations towards this exciting event adding some finishing touches to the dress and I made an evening bag from the remnants of fabric left over from her ballgown. Her Mum "hot fixed" hundreds of diamantes onto the purse and thousands more to the dress. 

I'm glad I only made the evening purse and left her Mum to add the bling!

I've been given permission to post a pic of this lovely young girl looking fantastic in all her midnight blue splendour ready for the ball. It might be a recent American import to have high school proms but it was so lovely to see the excitement for her and it marks the beginning of the next major step on the path to her future career. 

She is bright as well as beautiful so Good Luck to her.

Stars, Hearts and New Museum

I love making folded cards and today I've made yet another one as a favour to a special friend. No scrapbook papers here, as I've gone back to my old favourite  Distress Inks sponged then splashed with water, as a background. I then stamped script and swirls at random. 

Inside shows the little card which opens to hold a personal message. The lace edge is adhesive paper lace but I sliced it along the length to make it finer. It looks more delicate than the real lace I used on my first attempt, pictured in my last post. There is also a link on scrappystickyinkymess.wordpress.com to the originator of the Star card idea and an excellent tutorial video.

The freesias my family sent us for our 45th wedding anniversary have opened beautifully and fill the living room with their fragrant scent. 

I mentioned, in my previous post, that in the note from my DDs inside the bouquet, said that there were 40 stems and 5 were missing for our 5 girls, our 2 DDs and 3 grandees, which really touched me. However, since the freesias have opened, I noticed that there are just 5 stems which are not purple!! This led me to  count the stems and there are 40 purple and the five coloured!!! Coincidence or did the suppliers notice the note and add the extra five as a thoughtful gesture?

Also made another interlocking heart card today for an anniversary

 Inside, the heart opens up for a message.

NEW MUSEUM

Liverpool's new Museum has just opened and so before we went out for an anniversary meal on Wednesday we decided to take a look. It is spectacular, both outside with it's modern architecture and inside with so much to see and do. It is well worth a visit for all ages, especially for children as there are so many interactive things for them. A great day out for all the family and it's FREE!!! 

 Above shows only about half of the building as I couldn't take a good full length photo with so much building activity still around the area.

 Flying the "Made in Liverpool" flag for my home city

 Below is the view from that huge front window looking down the Pierhead along the new canal and the famous Liver Birds can be seen on the top of the Liver Buildings, which was 100 years old on the day the new museum opened. When the Liver Buildings opened in Victorian times there was great controversy about it and it was classed as decadent in design! I wonder what the Victorians would think about the museum!!??

The Maple trees to the right were planted to line Canada Boulevard in tribute and thanks for the efforts and support that Canada gave during WW2 and there is a tree for every Canadian ship (over 50) that sank during the hostilities.

WOYWW 111, 1966 & Star Burst Card

Wow! I think I must have yawned long and hard 'cos a week went by somewhere and I don't know where! Here we are snooping on the crafty desks of the world via Julia's insistence so (after you've snooped on mine, of course) go over to WOYWW and see lots more on Stamping-Ground.

Well.... here's my desk, which was tidy, (honestly, truly, sincerely) just half an hour before this was taken until I started playing around and messing up again. No complaints please as there are still lots of the famous strawberries to be spied.

In a close up view you can see that HUGE basket of stamps waiting to be either cleaned or filed or both. I have this theory that if they are there shouting at me they may one day be "seen to". It doesn't work, especially as the basket often gets relegated to the floor then kicked under the table and is then very handy as a foot rest!

There's a couple of unpainted superlambananas, resting in waiting, just like the one I gave to Doone and if you pop over to her blog on her website, adonnathing you'll see the fantastic results of how she painted her's via her sidebar link.

On my desk I'm working on a trial of a star burst card which I saw on scrappystickyinkymess. Go over there to see some perfect samples of this great card and thanks to all concerned for all their great inspiration. 

My first try out isn't too accurate, I must admit that I'm not fussy on the lace as it's a bit pretty, pretty, for me, but there is a simpler, super, example by Valerie H Wilson, over there, which I love much better. Will have to have another play with this fab fold.

20th July 1966... the year England won the World Foootball Cup.... is  45 years ago, which means that today DH and I have been married this scary long time!! Wouldn't change him for the World and if I hadn't married him we wouldn't have our lovely precious family. 

Here's a collection of wedding photos to amaze you.. .yes! I was once 22 and can now say, far prettier then than I ever thought I was at the time. Wasn't that young man I married gorgeous!

Just imagine those bridesmaids in a rich turquoise... colour photography just wasn't an option those days!

Today these flying flowers arrived from the Channel Islands, courtesy of our girls, the grandees and their DHs... can't you just smell them, (the flowers, not the family, silly!) they are exquisite and will be even lovelier once they open fully. Big thanks to the gang.

There are 40 stems of freesia and the thoughtful note mentioned that the other 5 (making up our 45th anniversary number) were our 2 daughters and 3 grand daughters, all far away in distance but not in heart. 

We are well blessed, as they are the best. 

So many of you ask regularly about our little one in Germany so I thought I'd add an update at this poignant stage.

Our little grandee makes good progress with her treatment, and although it is so very harsh, for her and her parents, they manage somehow to stay strong. The little one is a star and is so happy when she gets back home in between hospital visits. 

The good news is that there should only need to be ONE more session of the intensive therapy, the completion of a difficult 6 months, before the next couple of years become an easier regime of tablets and tests. 

Thanks so much from us all, for all your thoughts, good wishes and for caring.

Stampboard Tiles and the Big Pong

I've had such a mixed week and a crazy busy one at that. We travelled down to the South Coast to spend time with family in Brighton and enjoyed the simple joys of taking our grandees out and about and babysitting for DD1. We then moved further along the coast to visit her DHs parents who have become good friends. 

We enjoyed a perfect Sunday roast with them in a pub restaurant near Hastings.... so good that I saved a choice piece of the crispy pork crackling as a last morsel to savour, only to get it jammed in my teeth at the front and broke a chunk off a front tooth. You really don't need to see me smile...treatment and the pain of a dental bill to come soon!

We travelled quite late bringing the family back for a Northern visit, arriving home to a dreadful pong as the front door was opened. Investigation proved that our large 8 or 9 cubic foot freezer door had sprung open somehow and the contents were ooozing through the drawers and front flaps of the shelves.... fish, meat. veg, fruit etc. All had festered away in the warmth of the good weather during the time we were away. Tired after a 6 hour journey, we plopped the children into their beds, then wallowed bravely in it all, bagging and binning it before the big clean up and sanitisation of every surface it had dripped on to. UGH and double ugh!

Much needed craft therapy!!!

 Some more little stampboard tiles with which I am really enjoying playing about. Colouring, stamping then etching before adding a few ribbons, charms and trims. Handy little idea as keepsakes.

I made an ATC for a swap at Vicky Stampers and did the wrong subject, "Blooming Summer"..... ended up having to make the correct one "Up up and Away"... you'll guess which is which!

I returned to a good surprise too and not just the pong... another fab belated birthday gift from Liverpool Lou. It's beautifully made with a lovely paint technique, swathed in sequinned lace and I love the coiled wire discs on her boobs.... amazing. Thanks so much Annie for spending time to make me this treasure. 

To cap it all, yesterday, DD1 returned to Brighton by train with pram, heavy bag, 4 year old and 17 month old and a tummy upset.... don't know how she made it, but she did..... true grit!

Life is now calm, quiet, tidy and I miss them all so much already!

WOYWW 110 and Tiny Stamper

For a change this last week seems much longer as I have done so much, and travelled over 800 miles. I went down to Brighton on our South coast to visit DD1 and 2 of my 3 gorgeous grandees.  Spent precious time with them for a few days before we all travelled back up North and they've been with us here since Sunday. Picnics in the park and sunny days, out doing all I'd love to do with all 3 of them on a regular basis but cannot due to distance.

Today on my work desk I had a tiny stamper, my 4 year old grandee, who made cards to take home for her Daddy and all her friends and it was hard to coax her into the bath ready for bed. Magic precious times. 

Get over to Julia's blog, Stamping Ground, to see over a hundred more work desks in this great weekly, world wide, expose of where we crafters create.

A friend gave me this huge reel of parcel string, (correction....baker's twine) and I realise I will never in my lifetime manage to use half of it so if anyone would like a share just email me. 

We enjoyed walking along Brighton's seafront and it was so windy that the lifeguards were keeping people off the beach and the red flag was blustering hard. The waves weren't too high but they were so strong and it was fascinating to watch.

Here's the pier ......

and the old burned out pier at the Hove end of Brighton.

I love this doughnut shaped sculpture by Hamish Black on the seafront at Brighton, near the pier, and my DH is in view, far off on the promenade, through the hole in the centre. The black areas are black holes cut outs in the shapes of the continents of the world and the shiny patch is where so many visitors have touched it or leaned on it and polished off the blue and green patina. It is made from 2.2 tons of bronze.

I never managed to visit too many desks last week due to limited internet access whilst staying in the hotel so apologies to everyone and sincere thanks to all who popped in on me.

WOYWW 109 Al Fresco

Another week winged it's way to somewhere or other, was it something I said, I ask? Soo oo oo, here we are for another WOYWW, courtesy of Julia our illustrious leader from Stamping Ground. We provide a fabulous excuse to snoop around the desks of the World's crafters so click HERE to see all who dare...... Here's mine!

So hot indoors so I decamped into the garden to take advantage of a glorious Summer day and to get  some fresh air.

A nice cuppa appeared courtesy of DH and a Bakewell cupcake went with it very nicely. What a great way to craft and it would be wonderful to do it more often, especially with friends, if only we could rely on the English weather.

 I trimmed and mounted some of the stencilling we did, with Lorraine as our tutor, on Saturday at the Vicky Stampers workshop. A great class with lots of fun, great crafting and a feast of a birthday party for Enid's 70th birthday.

Some of us remembered to wear the T shirts we painted and stamped last workshop with Lynne

Here's the T shirt gang, Birthday Girl Enid, Me, Lynne, Gill and Neet.

We attempted valiantly to devour the buffet spread for Enid's 70th birthday. A real shame that too many members missed this time by going off on holiday or getting sick. How very dare they but then again, we missed them too! Here's what they missed.....

Enid took the jibes really well over being the grand age of 70 and we did her a favour by reducing the candles to 7 instead of having a heatwave and setting off the fire alarms!! Heh heh!

Didn't get round all of the desks last week and sorry but it's going to be even less this time due to the blissful mayhem of seeing two of my lovely grandees.

I'll do my best to pop by as many as I can......